Those of us who value the life of all human beings understand the dangers of assisted suicide, or medical assistance in dying, as it is called in Canada. But now, others have begun to see the horrors of Canada’s laws. A recent article in the Frederick News-Post begins, “An expert committee reviewing euthanasia deaths in Canada’s most populous province has identified several cases where patients asked to be killed in part for social reasons such as isolation and fears of homelessness.”
The article examines reports issued by Ontario’s chief coroner, who reviewed the euthanasia deaths of those who did not have a terminal illness. It explains that “Canada’s legal criteria require a medical reason for euthanasia—a fatal diagnosis or unmanageable pain—but the committee’s reports show cases where people were euthanized based on other factors including an ‘unmet social need.’”
A doctor on this expert committee said she feels vindicated that people are seeing the horrors of what Canada’s laws are doing to people. She stated, “We’ve been gaslit for so many years when we raised fears about people getting MAiD because they were poor, disabled or socially isolated.”
Two such cases were discussed in the article. One was a man in his 40s who suffered with a bowel disease and who had a history of both mental illness and substance abuse. The report described him as “socially vulnerable and isolated.”
The second was a woman in her 50s who was “suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome,” and who had a history of PTSD and mental illness. The report states that “she was socially isolated and asked to die largely because she could not get proper housing.”
This report emphasizes what those of us in the pro-life field have been saying for years. Euthanasia is a slippery slope. When a country or a state allows a sick or dying person to end his life prematurely, we open the door for ambiguity of the word “sick.”
Indeed, what is most disturbing about the findings of this report is that the Ontario coroner found that the “people asking to be killed were more likely to require disability support and be socially isolated.”
What does that say about us as a society when people would rather die because they feel they have no one to help take care of them?
Our society puts more emphasis on what a person can do than on who a person is. Human beings have become commodities that we discard when they are no longer useful.
Caring for others should not be something we are forced to do. It should be something we lovingly do. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, it can be incredibly difficult to care for someone who is sick or dying. That’s why it should never be something done alone. It truly takes a team of caregivers—from family, to friends, to paid staff in facilities or those who make house calls.
For years, I have seen this loving care firsthand with my uncle, whose wife passed away last week after battling dementia. He cared for her at home until he was physically unable to do so. The disease made her combative and angry, and for both his physical and mental health—and for her safety—he had to move her into a care facility.
But unlike some facilities that have staff who leave residents alone in their rooms or in chairs in large common rooms, those at this facility truly cared for her. My uncle visited her daily, and he always had glowing remarks about how kindly the staff treated her.
My uncle is a model of self-giving love that is increasingly uncommon in today’s world. He didn’t stop loving his wife when she became ill. He didn’t think she was better off dead. He didn’t find her to be a burden. On the contrary, he continued to love her because of who she was. The disease stole her memory, but it did not steal his love for her.
This is the epitome of loving care. This is what it means to be Christ’s hands on earth and to see people with His eyes.
Suffering is never easy, but walking with someone in their suffering is what we are called to do. My uncle did that beautifully, and he is a model to other struggling caregivers.
If everyone who was sick or suffering had people to lovingly care for and protect them, I daresay that the desire for medical aid in dying would greatly diminish. After all, who would want to hasten death when they feel loved and cherished?
This article first appeared in LifeSiteNews at lifesitenews.com/blogs/new-report-shows-people-are-seeking-euthanasia-because-theyre-isolated-afraid-of-being-homeless.
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